Horace Fully Loaded
by Mellygal
Summary: The hate bug himself begins a quest for redemption, but unbeknownst to him, he and his brother, Herbie could be in serious danger when Simon and Rupert find Trip Murphy... Can the bugs defend themselves and their owners against this trio? Can Herbie forgive Horace?


The doctor smiled as the little car started up. He'd felt guilty for allowing the bug to die at the hands of a cruel owner.  
"What a shame..." the old man sorrowfully said as the living beetle allowed him to remove a part from it, "He used the fact that you knew nothing more, Horace, to manipulate you into hurting your brother..."

The guilt-stricken bug lowered on its suspension, till the frame hit the ground, and in a way, it winced.  
"Horace, amends must be made, though I know not where Herbie is. Don't you agree?"  
The black car glanced up. They did indeed... He quietly honked his new horn, agreeing.

The doctor smiled softly, removing the plate that branded Horace with the symbol of the old owner and he replaced it with a new, official plate, "California, PGQ968... Look, Horace, it's like your brother's... After O is P, after F is G, After P is Q, then after 8 is 9, after 5 is 6, and after 7 is 8..." He laughed a little...

Several years later...

A young man and a young woman rode inside a different beetle, a white one, with stripes, and the number 53 on it. The little bug sweetly beep-beeped as it did a wheelie going down the road, Yes, crazy for a bug, but like the one before, it was special... Though it had had the luck of not being manipulated when it knew nothing of right or wrong. The young man cried out "Whoo! Herbieee!" as the car did it's tricks. He turned to the young woman, "You know, I saw a little bug that I was thinking of getting... You know, seeing if maybe Herbie could get a friend... It's gonna need a lot of work, but crazy-Dave will practically give the thing to me."

The woman laughed, "Kevin, not every car is like Herbie."  
Kevin spoke again, "Yeah, I know, Mags... But I just saw this one and got the same feeling as when I look at Herbie."

Maggie blinked, "Well, I guess it's worth a shot to drive by and see it. Come on, Herbie!"  
The car beeped once more, taking the turn to the junkyard...

Horace glanced around for about the bazillionth time, his worry growing greater each time... Just his luck, a good owner or two, then one that treated him like crap and didn't even bother to look under the hood for an issue... It was how he ended up in a junkyard anyhow! He couldn't help but notice as a white blur came into the yard...Dust flying all around. He tried to shake the dust off his headlights, or, at least one of them, but ended up flailing off of the bricks that held him up. Two of his tires had totally fallen off...  
He let out a sigh. It was probably just some other white car.

... But... that speed!...

Herbie stopped on a dime as directed by Maggie. He looked all over this place, inwardly giggling at what he'd done to Mr. Dave... When they got out, Herbie calmly followed behind, curiosity filling his headlights, but as soon as he saw what Kevin was looking at, he let out a beep that sounded like a scream of trembled like crazy, beeping in frightened tones. Horace.

Horace looked up at the familiar sound, perking up. Maggie saw his perk and wiped one of the headlights clean, so the car could see better. She'd just gotten into a habit of that with Herbie. She then looked to both beetles. "Herbie, what's the matter?!" she cried with worry. Herbie winced and shut his eyes, as if cringing.

Horace had gone from happy to see his brother to completely devastated by guilt again. He let out an apologetic "Bmreeaowp...!"

Herbie opened his eyes... Horace had never honked before... He'd only growled... He wasn't growling in the least right now. Herbie blinked... "... Meep?"  
Horace bounced up and down, as if nodding.

Kevin looked to MAggie, "... What are they saying...?"  
Maggie blinked and shrugged...

Herbie looked Horace in the headlights fora long while... Deciding two wrongs don't make a right, he slowly 'nodded'. He'd give a chance...  
But he'd certainly be on his guard.

Horace smiled- this was something he'd needed- a chance to redeem himself. A chance to prove he wasn't the bad guy!

He would take it. As he was taken to Kevin's garage, he settled down to be fixed up...

Meanwhile, on the other end of the city, a man recently freed from jail walked into the garage of a nascar driver, another man following behind him with a tablet... The two silently walked until the first one stopped, "Rupert. is that him? the other man who hates that bloody little car?"

The man with the tablet lookied up and through the windows of an office sort of room... "I think so, Simon, but we just got out of jail, so do you think we should really-?"  
"Shut up." Simon said, glaring at Rupert, "He's watching that beetle beat him in nascar... over and over and over... We may have ourselves a new companion soon." He grinned, stepping closer to the door of the room, knocking, but not even waiting to come in. The man on the couch perked and stood,  
"Who are you..?!" he asked...  
"Ah!" simon chuckled, "You must be the one and only Trip Murphy! Come, sit back down, we need to talk!"  
Trip looked at Simon, "About what? Because I don't have time for fans. I have a big race coming up."  
Simon's smirk grew, "Oh, I'm no fan. I'm here to help you say... Exterminate a bug."  
Trip perked, suddenly listening. "Oh?"  
Simon grinned, "And possibly,if we can rebuild him, do so with another bug."  
Trip thought for a moment,"I don't really like bugs, but why don't you tell me more and I'll listen."  
Simon looked to Rupert, "Help me fill him in on the story, Rupert."

Rupert dutifully cleared his throat, "Well, you see, it all started back in '97..."


End file.
